Music Update - Marigold: An Adventure in India

When the music of a film like Marigold: An Adventure In India comes, expectations are not too clear. There are multiple reasons behind it:

a) Since it is Hollywood project featuring a mainstream Indian actor, one is not too sure about what would be the final offering
b) The movie has been in the making for long while the music was composed almost 3 years back. Of course, the trends have changed.
c) Even though the film revolves around a Bollywood choreographer with a foreigner woman as a leading lady, one cannot expect traditional 'naach-gaana' around the trees

So, what would Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy along with Javed Akhtar saab bring for the audience? With uncertainty looming large, one plays on the music of Marigold. Sadly, there is disappointment in store when the eight track album comes to an end.

Along with the light strings of guitar, Shaan mesmerises a listener right away with his crooning of 'Yeh Pyaar Kya Hai - Seven Stages Of Love'. A love ballad that has class written all over it, 'Yeh Pyaar..." describes the even colors of love in the simplest of manners. In fact, as the song progresses, one realizes that the song is just made of guitar and a few other light instruments that hang around in the background without impacting the feel created by Shaan. This is a kind of love song that you would like to sing for your loved one while sitting next to a bonfire.

Director Willard Carroll himself adds on English lyrics for 'Yeh Pyaar Hai - That's Love' which mainly has Javed Akhtar at the helm of writing. Crooned by Shaan yet again, 'Yeh Pyaar Hai' is completely different from 'Yeh Pyaar Kya Hai' from theme, treatment and rendition perspective. While melody continues to be the mainstay of the song, the rhythm catches up though it doesn't create the desired impact. In fact, as one hears the song a couple of times, one tends to remember Jatin Lalit's 'O Jaana' which was composed for Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai, again a Salman Khan starrer.

Vikas Bhalla, who has made a smashing debut with 'Dhuan Dhuan' around a decade back, only to fade away from the music scene soon, comes behind the mike again along with Alka Yagnik for 'Paagal Si Saari Leheren - Beach Blanket Bollywood'. A peppy number that tries to be feel good, it could as well have been composed for a situation in the film where a core Bollywood song is required be choreographed, 'Paagal Si...' is for those who swear by anything that is Bollywood. Overall the song is just about fine though arrival of the words 'Sun Lo Re' at multiple junctures only manage to irritate.

Nikita Nigam, who was heard in 'Rabba De Di Jawani' [Pyaare Mohan] last year, sings again for 'Saccha Pyaar - The Meaning Of Love' which makes for a good cinematic experience rather than being anything spectacular audio-wise. In fact, the way Nikita renders the track, it is difficult to make out at least in the first few hearings if she is crooning a sad song, a love song or a mix of both! A slow moving track which stays on to be only for the situation rather than anything else, it has an unconventional tune that takes time to be absorbed. One misses the spice element in the song that could have taken it to a different level. Ordinary.

Vikas Bhalla returns to the scene along with Alka Yagnik, Sneha Pant and Nihira Joshi for 'Tan Man - Marigold Erupts', which is the most lukewarm song of the album so far. One hopes that the track is yet another spoof because it is different to take this early/mid 90s song of seduction seriously. Borrowing the melody and rhythm from the South Indian films of the era gone by, 'Tan Man. .' is best left ignored and would hardly be counted as a song that Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy would be proud of.

From this point on, remaining three tracks are core English songs with 'Truth Hurts' being a common element. For the uninitiated, Truth Hurts is an American R&B singer and her real name is Shari Watson. First track which is written by Truth Hurts is 'Listen To The Music that has Shaan and Ali Larter coming together with Truth Hurts. A rhythmic number that should turn out to be the highlight of the film if promoted well, what it needs is a music video to take it's case further.

Truth Hurts returns with 'The Meaning Of Love' which begins as an opera track and continues to be a high pitched passionate number. Surprisingly, the song fails to keep your interest alive even as you are just 3 minutes into the song and boredom creeps in soon. One tries to give the track a few more hearings but to no avail as the fusion of Western and Indian melody doesn't quite produce the results as one would have expected. Result? A number that has its chances to make an impact only in the film but not on an audio.

Willard Carroll returns to write 'Seven Stages Of Love' where yet again Truth Hurts comes behind the mike. Her partner for the duet is Shaan as the two get together to sing the English version of 'Yeh Pyaar Kya Hai' that had marked an opening for the album. Sadly, the impact is not even half as was in the case of the song that was heard before as it plain and simple drag without holding your attention much. Bring back the Shaan solo anytime!

Marigold is a disappointing album from Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. Disappointing, since from any lesser composer(s), it could have been considered as a decent effort. But from someone like the composer trio which has delivered back to back popular music in films like Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Don, Salaam E Ishq, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom and Heyy Babyy, anything lesser is hard to digest.

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